The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-04-23
editorial Brfef5.
BY REV. I. M. ATWOOD. D. D.
Canton, N. Y.

tlous student VINO recommends to his
fellow some work from which he pro-
fesses to have derived unusual aid and
satisfaction. 1t ends in the latter's bor-
rowing the book and taking it home
when he discovers to his surprise that
many of the leaves are still uncut. The
implication is obvious, and we have all
joined in the verdict. We were remind
ed OF the incidents of this familiar story
the other day, by taking from the shelf a
volume we have had ten years, which we
read with great interest and delight on
its first publication and have often had in
hand since, but in the very middle Of
which we found three uncut leaves.
Various hypothesis might be framed to
explain such fact, but we content our
selves with recording it for the comfort
of any fellow sinner.
1t is among the merits of Prof. Alex
ander Aliens Continuity of Christian
Thought" that it discards as unhistor-
ical the claim of Episcopacy to be a
divinely instituted and authorized form
of church government. Prof. Allen be-
lieves Episcopacy to be =" the most con-
venient form, and that it was developed
under providential direction. He goes
back to the position of Haaker-the only
tenable and defensible ground for any
church polity.
Our colleague, as well as contem-
porary, the Gospel Banner, defending it's
policy to exclude everything not in
keeping with the Christian spirit" fur
ther remarks: "The day has passed for
rapiers, tomahawks, pitchforks and blud-
geons; for unmitigated sarcasm, belittle-
ing criticism and suppressed facts; the
day for exaggerated plaudits of ones
own, and fiery condemnation of an oppo-
nent's views" The position of the Ban
1'er Is right; and it is to be commended
for taking SO manly and Christian
stand. We take pleasure in bearing wit
ness to the uniform courtesy and candor
of our esteemed fellow -laborer.
cit is great deal better for man
morally" says a Sunday paper, "to go
into the next world with some misgivings
as to his future existence than to be too
sure of it." Why better? Why better
morally? The article from which this
tid-bit is taken abounds in equally lucid
and suggestive remarks. A society writ
or in the same paper has discovered that
/
the women OF Boston " are morally un-
happy and depressed, owing to climatic
causes" The only relief the mind gets
\ in rejecting on such deep sayings is de-
rived from the probability that their au-
thors are not morally accountable.
The Medical Times is furious against
the study of grammar, and moves "to
Danish from all the schools that idiotism
called mental philosophy, which no sane
boy or girl can comprehend" The Med
zeal Times needs treatment. It's diathe-
sis indicates impending mental syncope.
Something stimulating is called for. We
advise grammar and mental philosophy
in heroic doses.
"a little learning is a dangerous thing:
Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring"
= The Christian Register made an
Easter offering to its readers of the opin-
! ions of twenty one gentlemen. eminent in
some department of science, on the sub-
iect OF human Immortality. The in
quiries addressed to them were so franz
ed as to require them to tell what effect,
for or against, the principles and discov
cries of science have had on the belief in
immortality. But the answers uniformly
disclose the private opinion OF the author
on the subject. Besides the twenty-oue
whose answers We're requested, the opin-
ions of Huxley and Spencer are added as
given on other occasions. These respons-
es to question of the profoundest i'm
port constitute an exceedingly interest
ing and valuable chapter in the history
OF opinions.
Seventeen of the scientific witnesses
summoned by the Register testify to their
belief in Immortality few of them in
spite of the intimations of science, but
most of them through its help. Two
Profs. Ward and Morse-are fiat against
the belief, and support themselves in
their denial by scientific facts" Two
others-Prof. James and Dr. Leidy-are
clear that science affords no encourage
ment to the belief, but omit to say what
their own position is. The tone of the
communications of Profs. Ward and
Morse is as much in contrast to the
others as their conclusions are at vari-
ance with them. They are tirst-class
dogmatists and seem to eovet the reputa-
ton of inventing the odium physioloo-
icun.
We were much interested in these
words of Prof. Simon Newcomb, as indi.
eating that his mind has encountered the
same obstacle to adopting John Fiske's
conclusion of immortality ffom the pre-
misses of evolution, that confronted us
when we examined his book: "If man as
now constituted is only the last in a series
OF forms of organic existence starting
from the lowest; and if consciousness it.
self has been gradual development,
akin to that of awaking gradually from
profound sleep, then it seems difficult to
I lfs.ly -. I,